NHTSA Complaint #10547183 — 2013 HYUNDAI SONATA

WHEN I CAME OUT TO GET IN MY CAR, AT WORK, I NOTICED THAT FRONT BUMPER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS PULLED AWAY FROM THE BODY. NO SCRATCHES OR SIGNS OF IMPACT WERE VISIBLE. THE PARKING SPACE BUTTS UP TO GRASS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY GET 30 TO 40 OF THESE COMPLAINTS A YEAR. THEY SAID THE CLIPS THAT HOLD THE BUMPER DO NOT HOLD UP UNDER ALL CONDITIONS. BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME LOW CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE BUMPER AND THE ROAD, ALMOST ANY POTHOLE OR BUMP OR CONCRETE PARKING BLOCK COULD CAUSE THEM TO BREAK. THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE CLIP ATTACHMENT OF THE BUMPER TO THE VEHICLE AND A DESIGN FLAW FOR THE CAR TO BE SO LOW TO THE GROUND. THE DEALER SAID THE REPAIR, WHICH ACTUALLY ENTAILS REPLACING, PAINTING AND ATTACHMENT, COMES TO JUST SHORT OF $900. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD SHOULD THE CAR HIT A POTHOLE AND THE BUMPER FLIES OFF, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VISION, SAFETY AND FOR THOSE BEHIND. *TR